Story by Carolyn Parker. Photos Jeff Dawson
With 50 years collective experience as food industry executives, Don Nesbit and Litsa Sahawneh felt inspired to develop their own vision at Byron Bay Deli.
After three weeks remodelling the former Blue Olive Deli in Lawson St, they’ve rebranded as Byron Bay Deli with an expanded middle-eastern menu, inspired by Litsa’s Jordanian heritage.
Don says, ‘We’ve punched out the walls and opened-up the window on to the street to create an inviting, interesting feel. We’ve installed Moroccan lights, and the reclaimed timber retains the coastal feel’. Litsa says, ‘We’ve had a really positive response from customers, and it feels bigger’.
Litsa was the ‘innovative brains’ at Byron Bay Cookie Company for many years, and later launched her own consultancy business ‘Hero Food Solutions’. Don’s been an accomplished managing director of a large international food business. These foodie heavy-weights have swapped the executive-life for developing premium-branded food products and a new menu for Byron Bay Deli.
Don says, ‘Behind our commercial capabilities, we are capable cooks and get right in amongst the food at grass-roots level. We believe it’s about flavour, texture, quality and appearance. You only get out what you put in; you need to put in a lot of care and attention to detail to produce a good result’.
Their passion for perfecting food is evident with their own luxury, organic ice-cream launching this summer with enchanting flavours like ‘fig and baklava’ and ‘dark chocolate with pomegranate molasses’.
Their chefs are also producing an enticing middle-eastern menu with traditional recipes that Litsa grew up with. Find an abundance of mezze-platter ingredients, lamb koftas, Moroccan lamb pie and falafels. European taste buds are gratified too with made-to-order baguettes, pies, quiches and salads and sweet sensations.
Their lust for exquisite products is showcased with local delicacies, and international produce like ‘Jerusalem Olive Oil’– made from fruit from the world’s oldest olive trees. There’s a superb global cheese selection; from Brooklet brie to French St Agur blue, and Swiss, Italian and Spanish specialty cheeses. Their sliced meats and dips, like velvety hummus and tasty harissa, make perfect platter accompaniments. Eggplant devotees will devour their smokey baba ganoush in a flash.
For an exquisite home-dining banquet I recommend their incredible take-home gourmet meals. Create an effortless feast with their vegetable moussaka (eggplant and chickpeas), butter chicken or Sri Lankan chicken, Shariya rice (with noodles and pine nuts) and Zaatar (flavoured pita bread) paired with Fattoush (minted salad with crispy flat bread) and fresh tabbouleh. It’s a sensational combo.
As their new logo implies, there are infinite possibilities of fine food selections to taste from Byron Bay Deli.
Enquiries about home deliveries and hampers are welcome. Byron Bay Deli. Shop 6/27 Lawson St, Byron.
Ph 6680 8700. [email protected]
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